The 1976 Eldorado is the most famous "last convertible," mainly because it wasn't. Cadillac's personal coupe had been redesigned in a new jumbo size for '71, when a convertible returned for the first time since Eldorado went front-wheel drive four years earlier. The convertibles attracted 7,000 - 9,500 yearly sales, but Cadillac wanted more for '76, knowing ahead of time that it would own Detroit's only remaining ragtop.

Accordingly, Cadillac announced "no more convertibles" while upping the '76 run to 14,000 from the previous year's 8,950. Included were a final 200 "last convertibles" with white paint and top, red pinstripes, and white leather upholstery with red piping. Though any '76 Eldo convertible cost $11,049 base, some sold for up three times as much in the "instant collectible" buying frenzy created by all this carefully calculated PR.

Come 1984, however, Cadillac introduced a new Eldo convertible that not only prompted a lawsuit (for deceptive advertising) but lost a bundle for those who overpaid for '76s. So much for clever marketing.